How London Underground plans to run Tube in Boxing Day strike

Friday, December 23, 2011
11.22 AM

London Underground has outlined its plans for dealing with the strike by Tube drivers on December 26.

With the 24-hour walkout by Aslef members in a row over extra Boxing Day pay coinciding with Christmas sales, football matches and people trying visit friends and family around the city, it is likely to cause widespread disruption.

Transport for London says it will be operating some services in an effort to keep London moving.

There will be limited service on Tube lines and some sections will be closed.

Bakerloo line: A limited service will run between Queens Park and Paddington.

Central line: A limited service will run between Hainault and Ealing Broadway, switching to a service between White City and Leytonstone at 1pm.

Circle line: No service.

District line: Two limited shuttle services will run between Acton Town and Ealing Broadway and Upminster and West Ham. Replacement buses will also run on the Wimbledon branch, including a service linking to Hammersmith with possible further extensions.

Hammersmith & City: Services from will run from Hammersmith to King’s Cross St Pancras.

Jubilee line: A limited service will run between Stanmore and Finchley Road.

Metropolitan line: A limited service will run between Baker Street and Harrow-on-the-Hill.

Northern line: A limited service will run between Morden and Stockwell. Due to planned engineering works replacement buses will also operate between Camden Town and Mill Hill East/High Barnet, with extensions to Euston / King’s Cross.

Piccadilly line: There will be a shuttle service between Heathrow 1,2,3 and Acton Town (calling at Heathrow 1,2,3, Hatton Cross, Boston Manor and Acton Town).

Victoria line: Running between Seven Sisters and Brixton with a service frequency of every 10 minutes.

Due to planned engineering works on the Docklands Light Railway, replacement buses will operate between Bank / Tower Gateway and Poplar / West India Quay.

TfL says that in addition to these services London’s 700 bus routes will be in operation and there will be extra buses operating in busy shopping areas, with an enhanced service in the West End.

Customers can also use the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme, which is available across central London, as well as London Tramlink.

River services will operate between Greenwich and Westminster, stopping at Tower Pier, London Eye and Embankment.

Transport bosses, who lost a court bid yesterday to have the strike halted, have condemned Aslef’s action as “completely unnecessary”.

The union has demanded triple pay and a day off in lieu for its members working on Boxing Day, despite what TfL says is a long-standing agreement which covers working on public holidays.

London Underground has reduced the numbers of train staff required to work, so that only one in four are rostered for December 26.

Only 42 per cent of balloted drivers voted for strike action.

Howard Collins, LU’s chief operating officer, said: “This is a clear case of the Aslef leadership attempting to hold Londoners to ransom and we would urge them, yet again, to call off this unnecessary strike action.

“We have made every effort to resolve this issue, including reducing the number of drivers needed to work Boxing Day so that only one in four are rostered to work. However, the Aslef leadership seem intent on tearing up long-standing agreements that cover pay and annual leave and demanding even more – triple time and another day off.

“Thousands of Londoners rely on the Tube network on Boxing Day to take advantage of sales, watch the football or get to work. The actions of Aslef’s leadership demonstrates a complete disregard to our customers and to the many thousands of Tube staff who will not be on strike and will be working hard to help people get around the capital.”

Aslef has defended the strike, with a spokesman saying: “The union is seeking adequate compensation for members working on such an unsociable day.

“The union’s executive was told that negotiations with the company had failed to reach an agreement on the terms of Boxing Day working.”